After the Key
by IzzyPiePie
Summary: After the whole thing with Eddy & Ed making Edd think he was dying, the friendship broke off and DD hasn't been the same since. Alternate ending thingy. I don't know if there is going to be any pairings or not sooooo yeah. Rated T for language and sexual jokes. Warning: OOCness
1. Chapter 1

Fuck I don't know what I'm doing

* * *

Edd dragged himself out of bed Monday morning. He wasn't looking forward for class today. He wasn't excited for class these days anymore. Why should he be? He practically knew everything already. He had done the research on all of the topics his classes would cover this semester, as he did for each one. He felt the once exciting classes now empty feeling and pointless. If he had time to himself, he would've probably cured cancer or made a car that ran on mind control or something. He sighed and got dressed in a navy blue tee shirt, blue jean shorts that stopped just above his knee cap, long navy blue socks that went just below his knees, his white sneakers, and his black beanie with two white stripes on each side. His wardrobe was still pretty much the same, shorts, long socks and tee's.

He ate breakfast and headed out the door, his black backpack slung over one shoulder. It was considerably warm outside for February. He noticed Kevin and Nazz walking together. The two had dated last year, it was expected to happen at one point or another. They had broken up mutually, still remaining close as they were in their childhood years.

Edd took out his iPod and put on some metal and turning it up to block out the early morning birds and the rustling of the leaves. He then noticed Eddy leaving his house and immediately began to look at some trees, pretending to be interested in nature.

He had done a lot of pretending in the past few years. Pretending not to care anymore, which was partly true. He didn't care about Eddy anymore, after that episode with Kevin being grounded and Eddy making Edd think he was sick with some weird disease. He had acted sarcastic when Kevin gotten ungrounded but he had been pissed beyond belief. He had wanted to rip that fucking smirk of Eddy's smug little lying face. He even wanted to pound Ed into a wall.

He wasn't as bitter to Ed. After all, Ed was so... stupid. Back when they were friends, he would have come up with a million other words to call the tall one, but all those words would have meant the same thing: stupid.

* * *

Kevin was walking to school with Nazz when he noticed Edd walk about of his house. He had changed a lot. The once dork had worn uncaring about school. Though he didn't care for school these days, he still retained perfect grades, which was something Kevin couldn't help admire and be jealous of at the same time.

The dork still had OCD though, but he just handled it differently. If you messed up his stuff he would yell at you for about ten minutes. And publicly shame you. He onced yelled at a member of the football team for twenty minutes without even pausing to take a breath.

No one really knew what Edd was like anymore. He and the other dorks had broke off their friendship after Eddy convinced him he was dying. He had never been particularly close to anyone else. He gave the dork props though, he was kinda glad for some reason that Edd wasn't friends with them anymore. Edd didn't just tell them to fuck off, he gave them a very long and vulgar list of reasons they should fuck off, and he hadn't been nice about it either.

He had yelled at them in the middle of the cul-de-sac at about 2 in the morning when they wouldn't fuck off, even when Edd had said specifically to. His yelling had woke up everyone in the cul-de-sac. He yelled and argued with them for about forty five minutes before Sarah started yelling at Ed to stop all the racket before she told their mom. Somehow Eddy and Edd had gotten into a fist fight and Eddy broke his arm and Edd broke his leg. No one ever knew that Edd could fight, or how dirty he would fight. He used his nails (which apparently were sharp) to claw Eddy's face and he even bit him too. Fuck, he hated to admit it, but he thought Double D could be in a gang or something with those moves.

Anyways, no one really knew what the dork was like. He never talks to anyone. Like, ever. He only talks to you if you're his project partner or something. Infact, I don't remember him talking at all for the past year or so. God knows if the dork still even used his voice.

There was one thing that everyone knew; Double D was no longer that same dork. When the split up happened, people tried top reach out to him. The kids in the cul-de-sac and in school. The dork was still dorky back then, so he still hung out with people to be polite. But after a while, I noticed that he stopped being so cheerful. It happened over time though. I'm not sure if it was because of the other eds or something else, but he just stopped caring. Well he seemed to stop caring anyway.

He saw Edd put earphones in his ears and play some music on his iPod. He could hear a faint metal song.

"Hey Kev," Nazz said. "Are you going to that party on Saturday?"

"Maybe," Kevin said. "It depends on if I feel like going or not," The party was to celebrate something. He didn't really care what a party was for, as long as it had chicks and booze he would go.

"I'm not sure if I'm going," Nazz said. "The party is in a really bad neighborhood. I don't want to be date raped or some shit,"

"That would be bad," Kevin said.

"Yep," Nazz said.

* * *

Edd suddenly felt his phone vibrate. He took it out to see that one of the people he had met online, a really good friend, had texted him. Her name was Dalilah . He had met her on a site called Tumblr and she was basically the funniest person you could ever meet. She was also super nice and super sweet and fuck she was hot. They had web chatted and she had long, brown hair, blue eyes, and had freckles. And he had a freckle fetish. He had blatantly told her that and she didn't seem to mind. He wouldn't date her though. She wasn't his type. Besides, they were to close to ruin it with romance. Besides, she lived in the UK, so it wouldn't happen, as they were both sixteen and broke as hell.

He opened the text

Dalilah : _Hey DD! Just wanted to let you know I hit a thousand followers 2day! So happy! I'm gonna do an art thing for the occasion._

He texted back:

_That's__ great! I'm still at like 460 followers or some shit like that. Glad you finally got the triple zero. Mite I ask what the art thing will be?_

The reply came rather quickly, as if she had planned what to say:

Dalilah :_ I'm gonna draw dicks spelling 'I got a thousand followers today' and a giant vagina eating a donut_

Edd choked back a laugh filled snort. His sinuses had began to start acting up around the time he had started to separate himself from everyone, so now he snorts when he laughs. He hated it. It sounded like a god damn pig when he laughed.

_Omfg dude u kno I'm on way to school during this time of the day and that I snort when I laugh. I dont need any1 hearing my pig laugh._

Dalilah :_ But your pig laugh is so cute DD! If they dont like ur piggie laugh then to hell with their sorry ass! Ur laugh is the best thing eva! _

_But people will ask questions. You kno I need to keep up this __facade_

Dalilah :_ You shouldn't tho! ur a great person and everyone should hear your cute laugh!_

_But I don't want people to hear it .-._

Dalilah :_ But its so cute! Goddamnit DD just agree with me_

_Okeh ._. but are you seriously planning on drawing that?_

Dalilah _: Damn skippy I am. It will be the best thing i ever drew. I print it out and have it hang on my fridge 69eva. _

_Oh my god._

Dalilah _: 69EVAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA_

_Jfc dude I told you to stop being funneh. _

Dalilah :_ Idc. :D_

_omfg you want me to be vulnerable again? I dont think that I'll live thro another one of those things that happened between me and the other eds without other shit going down ._._

Dalilah _: Liek?_

_idk. I might have to blow up the sci lab or something_

Dalilah :_ I would love to see that._

_I would_

Dalilah _: Sure..._

_omfg I will today _

Dalilah _: I don't want u to get in trouble! Its suppose to be you and me 96evaaaaaa!_

_96eva?_

Dalilah :_ Its like 69 expect backwards. Its like were back 2 back and being all gangster and shite :P_

_ur mind never ceases to amaze me. I gtg almost at school_

Dalilah _: Bye! I luvs u!_

_ily2_

* * *

okay I don't know what I just wrote. Should I continue it? or whut? I need opinions on that matter. This probably won't be all that long and pairing(s) might exist in this story if it does but I have no idea where I'm going liek whut


	2. Chapter 2

Ugh I don't know anymore. OOCness warning

* * *

Edd walked into the school. He took out his earbuds and stopped the music that played and headed to his locker. He saw Ed chatting with some girl who was on the cheerleading squad. Ed had joined the football team in freshman year so he usually got all the bitches he could ask for. Edd sighed and put his combination into his lock and opened his locker. He took out his text books for his morning classes and put them in his backpack. He closed the locker and headed for his first period class, which was chemistry.

He entered the room which had most of the students seated already. This semester he had been paired up with Kevin by the teacher for his lab partner. He sat down at his seat and took out his iPod and began to surf the internet with the school's wifi. He had hacked into it in the beginning of freshman year so the school block on non-educational websites were lifted from his device. He went to his Tumblr to check if anything had been posted. His dash was pretty much dead so he put his iPod away and took out a book and began to read.

He was lost into his book when he noticed that Kevin had sat down next to him. He went back to reading but a few moment later the bell for class to begin rang. He put his book mark to mark his place in his book and put the book in his backpack.

* * *

Kevin sat down at his seat next to Edd. The dork was absorbed in some book. If there was one thing that had stayed the same, it was that the dork was still a bookworm. He had once read a book in 4 days that took everyone else at least 2 weeks to read.

Kevin took out his phone and began to play angry birds until the bell rang. The teacher began to instruct them about today's experiment and where the supplies were and the directions and blah blah blah. The teacher left the room to do stuff and everyone began to get up. One person from each table was suppose to get the chemicals from a cabinet and Edd volunteered to do that so Kevin sat and waited.

Edd came back holding a tray that had the chemicals and the supplies and instructions on a sheet of paper and set it down on the lab table and sat in his seat.

The two began to mix the chemicals with the powder stuff when all of a sudden Kevin noticed that a paper ball hit Edd in the back of the head. Edd didn't even flinch. He looked back to see Eddy and Ed laughing quietly. He looked back at Edd who didn't seem to care or even notice. Kevin went back to mixing his concoction when another paper ball hit the back of Edd's head. Edd still didn't seem to care.

Some time passed and the two mixes that Edd and Kevin made were finally being mixed together. Kevin poured his into Edd's and then Edd stirred it. The mix started to fizz and Kevin plopped in one of the pellets that was provided with the chemicals. The mix started turning chunky, as said in the instructions it would. Edd then put in another pellet in and the mix turned to pure liquid again.

Kevin said he would take the mix to pour it down the sink since Edd had gotten the supplies. Edd took out his book again and began to read. Kevin poured the mix down one of the sinks in the classroom and sat back down at his seat. It wasn't too long before Eddy and Ed began throwing more paper balls at Edd.

"_Pssst_," Eddy whispered "_Double Dick! Psssst!_" Edd continued to ignore them. A few more minutes and most of the class had noticed this. Kevin just wanted to pound those two and make them stop throwing paper balls.

"_Pssssssssssssssssst_," Eddy whispered. "_Double Diiiiiiiiiiiiiiick! Psssssssssssssst!_"

Kevin could now see that Edd was beginning to get agitated. Kevin couldn't blame him, he would want to rip off someone's face if they kept buggin' him.

A few more minutes passed and the entire class was looking at the situation. Everyone was waiting for either Eddy to stop, Edd to snap, or someone to interfere.

One last paper ball was thrown before Edd snapped. The sockheaded boy stood up, grabbed his backpack and book, and walked out of the room. Everyone waited for something to happen.

Next there was an inhuman screech that came from the hallway.

* * *

Edd screeched with anger as he stomped through the halls and to the back exit to the school. He wasn't going to put up with Eddy or his bullshit today. He wanted to tell Eddy off. He wanted to claw Eddy's face off too. But no, today was not a day for that. His best friend had just hit her goal in followers, and he didn't want to be angry today so he decided to drop it. He figured that no one would care if he was absent for the rest of the day so he decided to head home.

He wasn't paying attention, so he knocked into someone. He looked up too see that it had been Marie Kanker.

Marie had mellowed out along with her sisters. They didn't bother the eds anymore so Edd wasn't worried.

"Sorry," Edd muttered under his breath.

"Are you okay Double D?" Marie asked. "I heard some screaming and I thought I'd come check it out. Was that you?"

"Yes, that was me, and yes I'm fine,"

"Then why did you scream...?"

"Eddy's being a fucking prick," Edd huffed out.

"Eddy's always a prick," Marie said.

Edd smiled at that comment. "Tell me about it. I can't see what Lee saw in him when we were kids,"

"I never saw it either," Marie said. "I think she liked him because he was so short,"

"Was?" Edd asked.

"You know what I mean," Marie said as she rolled her eyes playfully. "So you're ditchin', huh?"

"Yep," Edd said. "I don't want to deal with his shit,"

"Wanna hang out?" Marie asked. "I was thinking about ditching too since Nazz got picked up early for a doctor's appointment,"

Nazz and Marie had gotten rather close over the years, despite all else. They had began dating a few months ago. They didn't seem like each other's type, and Edd had never thought Nazz was a lesbian. But he wasn't homophobic so he was cool with it.

Edd shrugged. He didn't really have anything else do to. "Sure,"

"Okay. Lets go by my locker first though. I need to pick up my jacket,"

Edd followed Marie as they made their way to her locker. She grabbed her jacket from her locker and they left the school through the back. They weren't dumb enough to try to sneak through the front.

"Why don't we head to the park?" Marie asked. "I haven't been there in ages,"

"Same here," Edd said. "Sounds cool,"

"So what did Eddy do to piss you off so much?" Marie asked.

"He kept throwing wads of paper at my head," Edd said. "And he kept on whispering '_Psssssssssst Double Dick!_'"

"He's so annoying. Didn't already tell him to fuck off?"

"That was a years ago. I gave up about him leaving me alone so I just ignore it most of the time but... fuck he's persistent,"

"Yeah I know," Marie said. "I think that was made obvious with all those scams when we were kids,"

"I suppose so. How are things with Nazz?"

"Great. Our three months anniversary is coming up and I'm taking her out. How have you been lately other than what happened with Eddy?"

"Well, nothing really new. It's same old same old,"

"And what is 'same old same old' exactly?"

"School, internet, and sleep is pretty much all I do, and I don't even sleep that much,"

"I don't think anyone sleeps anymore. We just die for a few hours every night and get reawakened by the overlords,"

Edd smiled at that last comment. "Free trial with death"

"Death with benefits?"

Edd coughed to cover up a snort that threatened to erupt out of him. Today was not a day to snort in public. And that day will come when hell freezes over and satan gives away free ice cream and sleigh rides.

They got to the park and sat on one of the benches. "What are you plans after graduation?" Marie asked.

"I'm not particularly sure," Edd said. "I've always wanted to do something that would change the world. Like cure cancer or make a car that ran on mind power. Or find a way to get rid of menstruation symptoms,"

"Oh my God I would love you forever if you did the last one," Marie said. "Well not love love... you know what I mean..."

"Yeah well I figured its a pain in the ass to bleed and be cranky and hate the world for 5 days a month every month for 20 to 40 years,"

"Ugh, finally a boy who doesn't just write off having a period as an excuse to be pissed off,"

"I would be moody if there was blood coming out of my private parts. I thank God everyday that I wasn't born a girl so that I wouldn't have to deal with that,"

"Everyday?"

"Well not everyday... at least once a month. So what are you planning on doing after high school?"

"I'm going to become a repair person. I like to tinker with cars and other vehicles,"

"I figured that you would do something like that,"

Marie finally asked the million dollar question. "Why did you...uhh...change so much after what happened between you and the eds?"

Edd knew he was screwed. "I dunno. Times change and so do people I guess. I guess it was partly because I didn't know what to do after I told them to fuck off,"

"Well I think you did good by telling them to fuck off," Marie said. "To be honest, when we were younger I tried to get close to you so you wouldn't be stuck with just those two. I knew that they were you best friends but they were just...off. And I didn't know how boys worked, growing up without a dad and all. And also Lee influenced me a lot, being my older sister and all, so that's kinda why I did all that when we were younger,"

"I understand, I can see how not having a male role model in a girls early life would influence the way she would interact with males later in life,"

"Thanks D," Marie said. "So you spend all your free time on the internet?"

"Pretty much. I've missed school a few times due to accidental all nighters. One time I spent from 3:30 in the afternoon after school to about 7:45 the next evening without even realizing it,"

"You once spent 28 straight hours on the internet? And didn't once check the time? What the fuck were you doing that you didn't even once check the time or get up to eat or take a shit?"

"Uhh... I was doing the usual. YouTube, Twitter, Tumblr, I was drawing-"

"What were you drawing?"

"I was drawing kittens,"

"Kittens?"

"Did I fucking stutter?"

"No, its just that...kittens?"

"Well I wasn't myself that night,"

"Why?"

"Well...Its a long story..."

"We have all day,"

Edd sighed. "Well... It was freshman year..."

* * *

Well sorry for the cliffhanger my bad #sorrynotsorry


	3. Chapter 3

just fucking read it.

* * *

"It was freshman year," Edd said. "The day before my birthday, I came home after school, expecting my parents to be home, as they said, promised even, they would be. Sadly, I found one of those damned sticky notes. It was about how they had a last minute business thing. The note said nothing about my birthday, or how sorry they were. Fuck, they didn't even write 'I love you' like they usually did. I was pissed so I kicked the wall for about five minutes and went on the internet and didn't get off for 28 hours," Edd sighed. "The worst part is when I saw them a week later, they didn't even say anything about it. Shit. They never did. They haven't said anything about my birthday since high school started,"

"How did you finally realize that you had been on the internet for over a day?" Marie asked.

"Well one of the people I was chatting with in a chat room told me that she was going to get some food. Then I realized that I was hungry too, so I went to grab some food from the kitchen. I saw the clock on the wall and I fell over with shock,"

Marie laughed. "That's hilarious dude,"

"I seriously fell over, Marie. It took me five minutes to stop freaking out. When I asked my friends they said that they planned this ahead of time. To try to keep me online for a long time, but they never expected it to work. I wasn't mad though. If I wasn't online for that long, I might've done something stupid,"

"Like what?"

"Cut off my arm or something,"

"That would have been something," Marie replied.

"And back then I used to do..." He paused and looked around, "I used to do drugs, so my mind wasn't exactly stable,"

"Seriously?" Marie asked. She had never though Double D would go that far.

"My head wasn't in the right place when my friend ship with Eddy and Ed broke off, so I decided to try different methods to keep myself sane. Unfortunately my habit only made it worse and it took me awhile to quit, as the risk to addiction runs in my family,"

"Wow," Marie said.

"Convenient change in subject, what happened with your sisters?"

"Well Lee dropped out and got married. Heard she had a kid and lives with her husband somewhere in Texas. Mom lost custody of May after an incident with something and ended up with some of dad's family in Canada somehow,"

The two continued to chat for the rest of the day. They talked of the past, how things have changed, what was currently going on in their lives, what they planned on doing with their lives, and other stuff.

Suddenly something hit the back of Edd's head. "HEY DOUBLE DICK!" He heard a familiar loud voice yell. He turned to see none other than Eddy. Edd wanted to claw his face off now, but he just turned back around.

"Eddy fuck off!" Marie yelled.

"Make me you ratchet ass hoe," Eddy said.

Marie stood up and ran too Eddy, who began to run away. Marie caught him and punched him in the face twice. Once for him calling her ratchet, and one for what he did to Double D. She decided that a punch wasn't enough revenge for the sockheaded boy, so she picked Eddy up and threw him at a tree. She still wanted to do more, but she would get to that another day.

Marie walked back over to Edd. "C'mon D, lets head over to somewhere where that prick can't just barge in,"

Edd grabbed his backpack off the ground and said "Why don't we head over to my house?" He asked Marie.

"Sounds like a good idea," Marie said as she grabbed her jacket from the bench and slung it over her shoulder.

Edd and Marie walked to his house at the cul-de-sac. They saw the kids hanging out. Edd checked the time on his phone and saw that it was almost 4 in the afternoon.

_Time flies when you're having fun I suppose_, he thought as he put his phone back in his pocket. The two got some stares from the teens of the cul-de-sac. He wondered why for a brief moment. Then he remember it had been around three years he had hung out with anyone. Or maybe it was the fact that it was Marie. Or that he ditched.

Whatever. Fuck whatever they were thinking.

The two reached Edd's front door and Edd unlocked it. The two entered the house.

"Want to order pizza?" Edd asked. "I just realized that neither of us had lunch,"

"Shit your right," Marie said. "How did we not realize that sooner?"

"Time flies when you're having fun," Edd said. "I suppose that's a yes to pizza?"

"Hell yeah I want some pizza," Marie said.

"What toppings?" Edd asked as he took out his cellphone

"I don't really care, just no anchovies,"

"Pepperoni okay?"

"Sure," Marie said. Edd dialed the number for the pizza place. He ordered a large pepperoni pizza. He then hung up.

"Do you want something to drink?" Edd asked.

"What do you have?" Marie asked.

"The question is what _don't_ I have!" Edd said as he stood and motioned for Marie to follow him," He lead her into a garage that had six fridges and about 20 coolers.

"Why do you have six fridges full of drinks?" Marie asked. "You couldn't possibly drink all that...ever..."

"I have a lot of money that I don't know what to do with," Edd said.

"How much money?"

"Like...fucking a lot. I draw things for people and sell them. I make about a hundred dollars for a self portrait. I also do digital art. I also do some things on the side but those aren't exactly...legal..."

"Fucking hell," Marie said. "Why don't you ever flaunt that money around? Shit D! You could buy the school!"

"I don't like attention all that much. I'm more of a loner,"

Marie could understand that. She wouldn't want a bunch of suck ups hanging around her just for money.

"Why don't you buy something like a car?" Marie asked.

"I don't need a car," Edd said. "I only leave the house for school and I enjoy the walk,"

"Why don't you buy a helicopter?" Marie asked.

"Because I have no need or want for one," Edd said.

"Edd," Marie said. "You could be a pimp with all this cash,"

"Marie, I have no need or want for sex slaves,"

"No I mean like... like king pimpin'! When you're just the king of everything and you're just a pimp!"

"Marie you have a wonderful mind," Edd said. "But I would prefer to spend my money on useless shit like every other teenager. Now, what would you like to drink. I can assure you that I have it,"

"Do you have Dr. Pepper?" Marie asked.

"Of course I do. Just give me a minute to find it," Edd said as he went to one of the coolers. He looked through sevaral more until her found one with a Dr. Pepper in it. The doorbell rang as he gave the drink to Marie. He ran to the front door and got the pizza from the pizza man and gave him the money for it.

The two ate the pizza and chatted until it was time for Marie to head home.

"It was fun hanging out with you, Double D," she said.

"It was fun for me too, I suppose," Edd said. "Marie...do you mind keeping today under wraps? I don't really need anyone knowing anything..."

"I wouldn't dream of telling anyone about today. And Edd, if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm always here for you," Marie walked out the door and Edd immediately locked it.

Edd sighed. He had let his guard down. He told himself each and every day that he would not open up to anyone. But why did he tell himself that?

He sighed again. He did this every time he had an encounter with Eddy. He hated asking himself why he did this, but he had it so many times, and here he was again, doing the same damn thing.

Lets start from the beginning.

_Why did he tell Eddy off?_ Because he had lied to him and he had run out of patience for his sorry lying ass.

_Why had he continued to be bitter to Eddy?_ Because Eddy was a dick to him.

_Why had he built a fort around himself and not anyone in?_ That was the million dollar question. Perhaps it was because he didn't want to be lied to again. Or maybe because he didn't know how to have a real friendship. His and Eddy's friendship had been like and hate. It was never a true friendship. No. Eddy had always been using him. For his ability to invent stuff. And for cheap laugh. Yeah, Eddy had lied to him for his own entertainment. That was why Eddy bullied him now, for enjoyment.

Edd figured that he had always had trust issues. How many times had his parents forgotten his birthday? Or a science fair? Or anything that was big in Edd's life? Too many times to count. Eddy pulling that stunt didn't help with it.

Edd thought back to his younger years. How many times did he just want to seal himself off when he was a kid? Oh so many times. He never wanted to go outside and pull scams on the kids of the cul-de-sac. No, he would rather read a book. Too many a time had he been carried out of his house by Ed to get him to come outside. Edd guessed that ending the "friendship" he had with the eds had given him the opportunity to seal himself off completely.

_But then why did he open up to Marie? _That was the billion dollar question if one ever existed. He had spent years building up his wall. He never had any intentions of letting anyone in, ever. She probably caught him when he was vulnerable.

_Should he trust Marie?_ That was the trillion dollar question. She had seemed so... sincere about everything. She never once laughed at him or told him to get over himself when he told her about his problems. Despite their childhood, she was kind to him.

But what if she was using him? What would she have to gain? Why was she reaching out to him? What if this was all a sick joke? What if Marie wanted revenge for all those times for being rejected?

What if he was just being paranoid? What if she wanted to make amends? What if she wanted a friendship with him?

Edd sighed. Paranoia and hope were never a good mix. He decided he would sleep on it. He was rather tired. He headed up to his room and changed into his pajamas and went to bed.

* * *

What are Marie's intentions? Does she truly want a friendship with Double D? Or is this some prank? Find out next time on After the Keys!


	4. Chapter 4

ugh

* * *

Marie left Edd's house and walked down the cul-de-sac. It was dark out, but even still she could see Jimmy and Sarah staring at them from Jimmy's yard.

"What are you staring at, Twerps!?" Marie yelled at them.

"Were just shocked that Double D hung out with someone," Sarah said.

"Yeah, well...so?" Marie hoped they didn't ask questions. She wasn't going to break her promise to Edd.

"So?" Sarah mimicked. "He hasn't talked to anyone since he got rid of Ed and Eddy! What did he say?"

"That's not of your business," Marie said flatly.

"Okay okay I get it," Sarah said. "But seriously, how did you manage to get a conversation in?"

"We ran into each other, one thing led to another, and here I am. Anyways, I gotta go," Marie ran out of the cul-de-sac without another word.

* * *

Sarah sat there stumped. How had Marie managed to get a conversation in with Edd? Whenever someone tried to reach out to him, he would run away. Or yell at them. Or fight them. Or any combination of the three, depending on your approach or who you were.

"Looks like Edd is coming out of his shell," Jimmy said. "What do you think Marie did to get him to open up?"

"How do you even know he opened up?" Sarah asked. "He could have just kept his wall up, kept it up,"

"Because of they way Marie said it was none of your business," Jimmy said. "You don't just lash out unless you have you reason. I think he said some things that he didn't ever want to say to someone,"

"Well lets not spread any rumors until we find the truth," Sarah said. "Besides, I don't really think he would open up that quickly,"

* * *

The next day at school, somehow, some way, rumor had gotten out about Marie and Edd hanging out. Everyone was talking, well, not everyone. Marie and Edd were denying it, and Jimmy and Sarah had decided the previous night not to start anything.

Also, the kids in the cul-de-sac that had seen the two going to Edd's house didn't think it was worthy of gossip. But, there was one particular teen in the cul-de-sac that still had it out for Edd.

Kevin was at his locker the morning that rumors had started, yet he hadn't heard them.

"Kev!" He heard a familiar feminine voice call. He turned to see it was Nazz.

"Hey Nazz," He said.

"Did you hear?" She asked.

"Hear what?"

"About Edd and Marie!" Nazz was clearly on edge about this

"What about them?"

"They both ditched yesterday! Together!"

"Nazz, if you think Marie is cheating, I doubt she is,"

"No I don't think that. She isn't like that anymore. Its just that Edd ditched! _With someone!_"

"Oh so that's what you're going at. He stormed off in chemistry after Eddy wouldn't shut his whore mouth. I guessed he ran into Marie,"

"Man Eddy is such a prick," Nazz said. "Do you think that someone made this up just to get at him?"

"If by someone, you mean Eddy, then I can say that I'm willing to investigate,"

* * *

Marie was pissed. Only a handful of people could know. She decided to go after a short prick who's name Started with E and ended in ddy.

She spotted the short one and bolted to him. Before he could have rationalized what to do, he slammed into a locker, face first.

"**WHERE DO YOU GET OFF THINKING THAT YOU CAN SPREADING BULLSHIT RUMORS, YOU PRICK!?**" She yelled as she punched him in the face.

Eddy didn't even answer the question. Yes. He had done it. So what? Freedom of speech.

Marie punched him over and over again. She let go of him and let him slide to the ground. Marie noticed that other students had seen. She growled at them and they all backed off.

Marie needed to find Edd. She went to the library and saw him reading at a table. She made her way over to him.

"Dude, did you hear the rumors?" She said as she sat down next to him

"Why do you think I'm here?" Edd asked. "No one will leave me alone!"

"Well I figured it was Eddy who had told everyone," Marie said. "I already beat the shit outta him though,"

"Thanks," Edd said. "So we're just gonna deny it, right? Say it never happened?"

"What about the kids of the cul-de-sac?" Marie asked. "Some of them saw!"

Edd sighed. "Then we just ignore everyone. Don't give them an answer,"

"But I have to answer Nazz if she asks," Marie said.

"Well I think she'll keep her trap shut, she's still nice, right?"

"Yeah she is," Marie said. "I guess you're right. I just hope no one in the cul-de-sac confirms the rumors,"

* * *

Well to Marie's and Edd's hopes, no one in the cul-de-sac confirmed the rumors. They all figured that Edd and Marie didn't need to be bombarded with gossip. By lunch everything had calmed down and things were normal.

Edd sat at a computer at a school library. He normally spent his lunch hour on Tumblr and YouTube after eating lunch. He opened the web browser and began to surf the web.

* * *

Marie made her to her regular lunch table. She usually sat with Nazz, who normally sat with Kevin, who usually sat with the football team. She sat down next to her girlfriend and slung an arm around her. Nazz smiled.

"Hey Marie," she said.

An assortment of hey's came from the people at the table. Everyone had been used to Marie sitting at the table by now.

Chit chat went about at the table, an occasional joke here and there, until one of the guy's finally spoke directly to Marie.

"Okay Marie, enough beating around the bush," He said. "Are the rumors true about you and Edd or not?"

Marie did as she said she would; ignore him. She ate her lunch not even acknowledging the boy.

"Hey Kanker I'm talking to you!"

Marie didn't even look up as she continued to eat.

"Shut up, Kyle," Kevin said. "Its none of your fucking business,"

"Its not your's either, Kevin," Kyle replied.

"Then we both agree; its neither of our business. Now shut your trap,"

Kyle rolled his eyes and began to eat his lunch again.

* * *

Edd logged off of Tumblr and exited the web browser. He was about to get up to leave when he heard a familiar voice.

"Well, well, well," The voice said. "Its been awhile Double Dick,"

Edd ignored him. He hadn't spoken to the boy in over two years and he wasn't going to speak to him today. He stood up, picked up his backpack, and walked to the back door.

When he opened the door, his path was blocked by Ed. The boy was now 6'4 and had sported muscles from being on the football team. Edd turned around but Eddy was right behind him, looking all smug. Edd pushed Eddy away and ran for the library doors, but his wrists were grabbed by Ed, who shifted both wrists into one of his large hands.

"What's the rush, Double Dick?" Eddy asked.

Edd tried to pull himself from Ed, but Ed pinched his neck just the right way to make him drop to his knees in pain. Some of the most sensitive nerves were located in the neck.

Double D knew what he had to do to get these two fuckers to leave him alone.

* * *

Marie was chatting with Nazz about their upcoming plans for the weekend when there was inhuman screeching coming from somewhere. Everyone in the cafeteria as another scream rang through the school. Some students stood and left to find it.

"I'm going to see what the hell is going on," Kevin said.

"Me too," Marie said. She knew that scream was familiar. It belonged to a certain sockheaded lad.

A few others on the team agreed to come. Soon there were dozens of students in the halls. Marie went to check the library and yup, she found Double D cornered by Eddy and Ed.

"What the fucking hell?" Marie asked.

"Get outta here Kanker!" Eddy yelled. "What's going on here is none of your business!"

Marie ran over to Eddy and kicked him in the groin. She did the same to Ed. She grabbed Edd's hand and hurried him out of the library. Marie normally wasn't one to run away from a fight, but she didn't want to keep DD in danger. He was a little shorter than Marie and was looked sort of...fragile.

The two reached the corridor of the school.

"Thanks Marie," Edd said.

"Its no problem," Marie said. "You need to take some self defense classes, D,"

"I've never been good with physical activity," Edd said. "Maybe I should get some sort of pest repellent,"

Marie chuckled a bit at Edd's joke. She then noticed a little bruising around Edd's eye. Had it been there earlier?

"What's up with your eye?" Marie asked.

"Ed got a little... rough," Edd replied. Marie then noticed several tears in his shirt and cuts on his skin.

"Shit D," Marie said. "What a fucking prick,"

"Ed is merely Eddy's pack mule. He's too stupid to be his own master,"

"I guess when you put it that way," Marie said. "Lets get you home, I can guess you wouldn't want to get those cuts infected,"

"You guessed right," Edd said.

The two left the building, without knowing that a certain someone was watching them~

* * *

Damn skippy another cliff hanger mother fuckers.


End file.
